Vital Sunday: I Hate All Bigots?

What do you call someone who makes sweeping generalizations on billions of people based on the actions of a few? A bigot. Bill Maher, says Mary Elizabeth Williams, is such a bigot.

Maher has famously said, “Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don’t have all the answers to think that they do” — which is pretty funny, given the know-it-all arrogance of the anti-religion big leaguers like Maher himself. As Zakaria very eloquently pointed out, that stance has given Maher more power and reach than he’s ever had in his long career. But whatever you believe or don’t, if you’re selling blanket intolerance, you don’t get to call yourself one of the good guys. You shouldn’t even get to call yourself one of the smart ones.